


Goe, And Catche A Falling Starre

by jenstraflintlocked



Category: Doctor Who, Stardust (2007)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-08-27 15:35:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16705114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenstraflintlocked/pseuds/jenstraflintlocked
Summary: unbeta'ed so rough as hell.I'm going off the film not the book cos in the book they can only fall and not be put back and quite frankly the feels.Also the film has the magnificence that is Captain Shakespeare.Technically Asterope's two stars individually are the least brightest stars of the Pleaides, but I've always loved the name Celaeno. Mostly because of The Last Unicorn. There is a whole thing around the Lost Pleaides.Title is of course from John Donne's Song, used by both Gaiman and Diana Wynne Jones.The Doctor turning up in Wales and meeting Howl and then travelling to Ingary is a fic on my to-do list.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta'ed so rough as hell.
> 
> I'm going off the film not the book cos in the book they can only fall and not be put back and quite frankly the feels.  
> Also the film has the magnificence that is Captain Shakespeare. 
> 
> Technically Asterope's two stars individually are the least brightest stars of the Pleaides, but I've always loved the name Celaeno. Mostly because of The Last Unicorn. There is a whole thing around the Lost Pleaides.
> 
> Title is of course from John Donne's Song, used by both Gaiman and Diana Wynne Jones. 
> 
> The Doctor turning up in Wales and meeting Howl and then travelling to Ingary is a fic on my to-do list.

They were crashing. That was the only word for it. The TARDIS was juddering and shimmying and the Doctor, dancing around the console, hitting switches, was stumbling more so than usual.

“We seem to be being yoinked somewhere. No not yoinked. Terrible word. Um! Dragged. Possibly to a pocket universe!” there was a hint of panic in her voice. “Oh this can’t be right. We’re flying! Not through the Vortex, through space.”

“Well that’s alright isn’t it, Doc?” Graham was clinging onto a crystal for dear life. “I mean it is a space ship as well?”

“Course! She’s just a little rusty and there’s lots of things to…”

Something smashed into the TARDIS, sending the Team sprawling head over heels.

“…hit.” The Doctor finished apologetically.

“What was that? An asteroid or something?” Graham yelped.

“Felt bigger.” Ryan shook his head. “A planet?”

“Are we still flying?” Yaz asked, noticing the turbulence had lessened.

“Yes! Yes, we are. Well technically more falling. Falling with style!” The Doctor grinned. She studied one of the read outs. “Um. Amending that. Pulling. We’re pulling with style.”

Ryan snorted with laughter. “That can happen when you hit on something.” he looked over at Yaz.

Yaz ignored him.

“No wait! We’re the ones being pulled!”

“There’s a first.” Graham muttered.

The Doctor slammed down a lever. “I can’t get us out. Might want to brace for impact Team!” She clung onto the TARDIS console. Graham decided to stick with his trusty crystal strut. Ryan sat down on the floor under the console, holding onto to the underneath of a panel. Yaz lunged for the bit of console by the Doctor, ready to help with flying the TARDIS. The Doctor smiled at her over a lever.

There was an earth-shattering bang that left Yaz with ringing in her ears. She saw Graham shaking his head to try and dispel it.

The Doctor was lying on the floor, temporarily winded. “I think we’ve landed.” She scrambled up and dashed to the door. “Ooh.” She said, flinging it open. “Tastes like Earth. Not quite Earth. Magical Earth.” She wandered out into the darkness, Yaz and Ryan running after her, Graham still shaking his head and staggering..

The first thing they saw was that the TARDIS had landed in the middle of a large crater. They could dimly make out slightly flattened trees at the crest of it. The second thing they saw was the reason for being able to see this. A large bright white light shining, just to the left of the TARDIS.

“Hello!” The Doctor strode up to it. “Is it you that we hit? I’m very sorry. My TARDIS got caught in an inter-reality eddy. Usually there’s guards to stop things crossing over like that.”

The light dulled slightly and faded to reveal a beautiful white-haired woman, in a shimmering silver dress, looking lost and confused.

“Bad luck Yaz. The Doctor’s been pulled.” Ryan nudged Yaz.

“Shut up!” Yaz glowered at him.

“Oh! Oh my stars.” The Doctor gasped. “Or star. Singular.”

“What is it Doc?” Graham approached more cautiously.

“This…is a star. If I’m not mistake, one of the Seven Sisters. The Pleiades.”

Ryan and Yaz walked up to stand either side of the Doctor.

“She’s beautiful.” Yaz was in awe.

“She is indeed.” The Doctor agreed. “And she’s really, really not meant to be on Earth. Especially not in this form. Which can mean only one thing.”

“What?”

“We’re in the world of Faerie.”

“You what?” Graham scoffed.

“Oh, come on Graham. All the wonderful things you’ve seen, you can’t go around NOT believing in fairies.”

“But I don’mmfPH” The Doctor clasped a hand over his mouth.

“You do know that every time you say that, a fairy somewhere drops down dead.” She hissed, releasing him. “That’s murder Graham.”

“But…” he said weakly.

The Doctor ignored him, turning back to the Star. “So. Which one are you? Merope? Electra? You’ve got to be one of the lost ones.” She glanced back at Yaz. “Ohhh, please tell I’m not responsible for the lost Pleiades, I’ll never live it down.”

“I am Celaeno.” The Star said haughtily.

“Celaeno.” The Doctor breathed. “The Dark one. Bit of a weird name for a star. Unless it’s a dark matter star I s’pose.”

“Silence! What have you done to me? Why did you kidnap me in such a fashion?”

“Oh um…well we didn’t intend to. My TARDIS knocked into you and then we got sort of dragged along for the fall.”

“Take me home immediately.”

“Um…”

“You can get her home, right?” Yaz asked.

“Yes. Absolutely. Definitely. Just got to…” a bolt of lightning came whistling past her ear, ruffling her hair. The Doctor grabbed Yaz and pulled her down as Ryan and Graham flung themselves on the ground.

“Stay on the ground. Put your hands in the air.” A gruff voice bellowed out.

“This is really uncomfortable.” The Doctor spluttered as she did so.

“Shut up.” Heavy footsteps tramped nearer. “Sooo. We’ve got ourselves a troop of Star Catchers, boys.”

“No! Nope. Not a troop. I don’t do troops. We’re a team.” The Doctor corrected him.

“Shut up! Well, we all know what King Tristan does to Star Catchers, don’t we.”

There was raucous laughter and a murmur of agreement.

“I don’t.” Graham muttered. A man rolled him over, pointing a ferocious looking sword into his face. “And I am happy to remain in ignorance of that fact.”

“They don’t sound like Star Catchers.” The one pointing a sword at Ryan pointed out.

“That’s because we’re not!” The Doctor piped up. “We bumped into her by accident. That’s my ship over there. We’re going to put her back.”

“A likely story.” The man with the gruff voice pulled her up. “What’s your name Star Catcher? So we can add it to the pictures as a warning.”

“I’m the Doctor. This is Ryan and Graham. And this is Yaz. We’re just travellers! We’re not even from here.” She looked around. They were surrounded by rough, bearded pirates, wielding an impressive array of swords and cleaver, and, in the case of the captain, a small leather tube, studded with metal.

“We don’t even know where here is.” Ryan added, awkwardly getting up and brushing himself off.

“I told you, Ryan, it’s the realm of Faerie.”

“You’re in the kingdom of Stormhold.” The gruff-voiced pirate interrupted her. “And you’re for the King himself to deal with. Bring ‘em.” He motioned to the other pirates, who brought out rope. 

“Oh. Great.” Ryan sighed.

“Sorry. Quick question. Who might you be?” The Doctor asked, helpfully holding her hands out in front of her.

“You’re in the presence of the great Captain Shakespeare himself.” The Captain grinned and tied her hands behind her back.

“Faerieland has Shakespeare?” Yaz looked puzzled.

“Course it does. Bit of a legend is Shakespeare. Did you think he made up all that business with Titania and Oberon?” The Doctor shook her head.

“Madame.” Captain Shakespeare bowed low before the Star. “If you would come with us, we can take you to one of your brethren, Yvaine, The Evening Star and Queen of Stormhold. She will be able to help you.” He held out his hand and she took it, stumbling slightly.

“Okay. So. Knocked a star out of the sky and now we’ve been captured by pirates. What’s the plan?” Yaz whispered as she was shoved in line behind the Doctor, flanked on all sides by bristling steel.

“Go with them for now.” The Doctor shrugged.

“What d’you reckon this King Tristan is like?” Ryan asked. “If this is the kind of people he employs?”

“Best wait and find out, I say.”

“What about the TARDIS, Doc?” Graham asked, bringing up the rear.

“Oh, she’ll be safe enough.”

“No more talking!” One of the pirates waggled his sword at them. “Or I’ll lop yer ears off.”

“If you wanted us to stop talking, lopping our tongues off would be more sensible.” Yaz pointed out. The pirate frowned, as he puzzled the logic out.

“Don’t give ‘em ideas!” Graham said in despair.

“Very good point tho Yaz. I’d give you a star but uh…” The Doctor turned round and grinned.


	2. The Mandrake Children

“Keep it moving back there!” Captain Shakespeare called out as Ryan stumbled on a tree root and caused the procession to halt. “Once word gets out that there’s a Star aground in Stormhold, we’ll have half the covens after us. Keep your eyes sharp boys!”

Several pirates were scouting ahead and around them, occasionally stopping to listen. One of them was swinging from tree to tree, using a grappling hook, pausing only to cast a telescope at the sky.

“What, like witches?” Yaz asked.

“Not just witches.” A pirate who was walking beside her whispered. “King Tristan’s done a lot to try and keep people safe, but this is still Faerie.”

“Never fear m’lady.” The Captain reassured Celaeno. “You are in the hands of the great Captain Shakespeare himself. I’ve dealt with more than a few witches in my time. Show ‘em a bit of lightning, bit of spark. No problem.”

“Talking of lightning…” Graham looked up at the sky as it lit up in the distance.

“Excellent!” Captain Shakespeare clapped his hands together. “A storm’s comin’ boys. We’ll be able to make catch some on the way to the castle. Two birds with one stone.”

The pirates cheered.

“Oh great. Walking through a wood in the middle of a thunderstorm.” The Doctor said morosely. She was trying to wriggle her hands free to get at her sonic, but the knots the pirates had tied were defying even lessons from Houdini.

In the distance, thunder rumbled like a hungry stomach. The skies belched lightning and the clouds disgorged torrential rain in short sharp bursts that left them all soaked to the skin. Yaz shivered as it dripped down her back, trying to flick the wet strands off hair out of her eyes. The Doctor was staring at the ground, trudging quietly along, having given up on trying to loosen the ropes. The water had swollen the fibres and made it impossible. The pirate’s leather capes  were clearly waterproof, and they’d put on aviator goggles the moment the hiss of the rain had sounded in the distance. Yaz was trying her best to endure it but it was hard going.

“You alright?” she bellowed back to Ryan over the sound of the storm, having heard him fall once more. The ground had fast become more a marsh than solid earth and with their hands tied behind their backs it was nigh on impossible to keep balance. A pirate hauled him to his feet again.

“I am getting really fed up with this situation.” He tried to wipe mud from his ear by rubbing it on his shoulder.

“Sorry Ryan. Don’t really have a plan beyond get to King Tristan and explain ourselves properly.” The Doctor apologised.

Another rumble sounded, closer this time and suddenly all the pirates were on alert.

“Watch yourselves! We’ve got incoming.”

In three flickering flashes of light, three women stood in front of them. One was tall, her head adorned with antlers, her body draped in the furs of small animals. The rain did not bedraggle them, and she stood, ringed by steam as water evaporated around her. One was short with great wings that loomed above her, taller than her sister’s antlered head. She was covered in scales, her hands ending in talons, her mouth beak-like. The third stood in front of both, human by appearance, dressed in tan leather, her arms folded.

“It’s the Mandrake Children!” Captain Shakespeare let off a bolt of lightning at the leader.

The leader snatched it out of the air and hurled it at a tree, causing it to explode, showering the pirates and their prisoners with branches and splinters.

“Come, Captain Shakespeare. In the sky you may outrun us. You may capture our children and turn them against us. But we are in the woods now. And we will have what we have come for.”

The antlered one charged at the pirates, sending them scattering. The winged one flew, the huge downdraft from her wings knocking Ryan, Graham and Yaz to the ground.

The leader strode up to the Doctor. “We have hunted long for you.” She hissed, grasping the Doctor cruelly by the arm.

“Wait! She’s not a…”

The sonic explosion of the peal of thunder deafened Yaz worse than the bang of the TARDIS colliding with the star. She swore she could feel her ears bleeding by the time the last echoes rolled away, and she could stand, looking round the clearing in the trees that had been blasted into existence.

“Oh my stars…” she whispered, or she thought. She still couldn’t really hear. One of the pirates was grabbing at her. She could see his mouth moving frantically as he cut her ropes and pulled her along behind the others. It was a frenetic dash through the undergrowth, without pause and with increasing dread, even as the ringing in her ears died away once more.

And then it was over, and they were being shoved into the brig of a ship, tied up alongside each other once more. There was a lurch and she fell sideways, bringing the other two with her as she sprawled on the floor. Her stomach gave a strange twist and she realised, once again, they were in flight.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Nice.” The Doctor said approvingly. “Faerie teleport. I like it. Big on the drama. Always love a good light show. And this I take it is your space ship? Very nice. She looked around the vast hall she was being hurried through. The windows reached to the ceiling but were dark from the storm clouds outside. She noted the classic dripping candles and blackened silver chandeliers, with the air of a warrior, appraising their favourite weapons. Apart from a large stone altar at the end they were heading towards, the rest of the hall was empty. “What do you use to power it though? I can’t sense any vibrations from engines.”

“It is not your concern.” The Antlered one answered her.

“But I’m a very concerned sort of person. I get concerned about everything, me. But all right then, if you insist, let’s try something that is my concern. For example, what you’re about to do to me.” The Doctor tugged her arm from the Antlered one’s grasp.

“We are going to carve out your heart.”

“With a blunt spoon?” The Doctor quipped, interrupting them.

All three of the beings stared at her. “Why would we use something so ineffectual?” The Winged one shook her head.

“Just a thought. Also, which one?”

“What?”

“Which heart? I’ve got two y’see. So I just wondered…”

“A twin star?!” The Leader gasped excitedly.

They crowded close around the Doctor, taking her pulse.

“She speaks truly! She is a binary star.” The Winged one cried.

“My sisters, we have never been so blessed as this day.” The Antlered one said in a sonorous voice.

“I shall prepare the double blade.” The Leader swept over to the altar and reverently took out a long wooden box from behind it. She rested it on top and delicately drew out what looked like an overlarge wish bone. The handle was wrapped in crimson cord. Although, the Doctor reflected, it might not have been that colour to start with. Jutting from the handle came two curved blades. They glittered, like ice in the moonlight.

“What are you going to use m’hearts for? Out of interest. Y’know, even if they’re not in me I like to keep up with what my hearts are doing.” The Doctor smiled at them.

“Your hearts can be used as a power source, more than enough to return us to our full strength.” The Antlered one explained. “The Covens have lived in fear since the Lamia were destroyed by Tristan. And more have fallen to his marauding band of pirates.”

“What? He doesn’t sound like a very nice king. Um.” The Doctor was interrupted by a scrape of diamond on stone. “No-one should have to live in fear. Unless they’re evil. Then they should live in fear of me.” She struggled against the ropes tying her. “Or not.” She sighed. “On a good day though.”

The Winged one plucked a scale from her body and used the sharp edge to hack through the ropes.

“Cheers for that! Very nice of you. S’pose you don’t want me to be too uncomfortable during the surgery eh?” The Doctor nodded. “So, you say covens, do you mean like witches? I was tried as a witch once. But I escaped. Saved the day. Y’know, maybe if you held off on the very open-heart surgery, I could help? Talk to this Tristan bloke? What’s your coven called anyway? That Captain Pirate called you Mandrake Children. Are you really? I thought the children of Mandrakes were more… y’know… earthy. Rooty. Not living up among the clouds.”

“We are the Children of Mother Carey.” The Winged one told her, worn down by the stream of words. “I am Petrel” she gestured towards the Antlered one, “she is Alba and our Elder sister Rán.”

“So why the Mandrake?”

Alba laughed. “Because our cries are fatal to men. We call on them, when our mother is tired, and the sea is calm, and take them that way to our father.”

“Glad I’m not a man any more then.” The Doctor muttered under her breath, wrinkling her nose. Alba and Petrel each grabbed an arm and guided her towards the stone altar, where Rán was now readying thick leather straps with sturdy looking buckles on them. “Although I suspect you’re going to be fatal to me either way…”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

In the brig, which looked more just like a half empty hold for food, Yaz was beginning to despair when Captain Shakespeare burst in. “Right then, my little star catchers. Looks like one of your fellow covens…”

“We told you before.” Ryan sighed. “We’re not Star Catchers. It was an accident.”

“What are they gonna do to the Doctor?” Yaz asked. “You know ‘em right? What did you call ‘em?”

“The Mandrake Children.” Graham said.

“Right. So these Mandrake Children and…what are Covens?”

There was flash of light in the hold and a stunningly beautiful woman appeared, clutching a stub of black candle.

“Whoa!” Ryan fell backwards.

“Where’d she appear from?” Graham asked. “Can people stop suddenly appearing from nowhere? It’s not good for me heart.”

“Captain Shakespeare!” The lady ignored their commentary. “The Moon has whispered to me that one of my sisters is in danger.”

“She’s safe, Queen Yvaine.” Captain Shakespeare hastily bowed. “We managed to capture three of the ones who tried to catch her. The fourth got taken by the Mandrake Children.”

“We’re not Star Catchers!” Ryan, Graham and Yaz yelled simultaneously.

“We’re travellers. From another World.” Graham explained.

“Yeah, we’re not even from Faerie. We fell through…something.” Ryan trailed off.

“The Doctor said something about a reality eddy.” Yaz continued. “She said there were meant to be guardians to stop that sort of thing. We were flying and we knocked into something really big.”

“The Star.” Graham nodded.

“And we were all falling to Earth. And then you lot showed up.” Ryan gestured with his chin toward Captain Shakespeare.

“And now our friend who we travel with, it’s her ship by the way, that we travel in, she’s been taken by these Mandrake Children!” Yaz strained against her ropes to no avail.

“Why?” Queen Yvaine frowned. “Why would the Mandrake Children take her?”

“Well she’s not exactly human herself.” Graham admitted. “But I think they got confused as to who was the Star.”

“The Doctor’s jacket is a similar to that Star’s dress.” Ryan pointed. “And she’s got the blonde hair as well.”

“Only, without her ship, without her, we can’t get home.” Yaz’s eyes pleaded with the Queen to understand.

“Wait! You’re not from the other side of the wall are you?” Captain Shakespeare looked suddenly ecstatic, clasping his hands together in excitement.

“Not now Captain Shakespeare. It appears there’s been some confusion.” The lady gestured towards the three of them. Captain Shakespeare drew his sword and swiftly cut them loose.

“My sincere apologies.” He shook hands with them all.

“No worries mate.” Ryan shrugged.

“Could’ve happened to anyone.”

“Right. So now we have to go after these people and rescue our friend.” Yaz said.

“Go after the Mandrake Children? Are you mad?” Queen Yvaine stared at them. “We fought against the Lamia and won but the Mandrake Children are the daughters of Mother Carey!”

“They’ve got storms in their blood. Take it from me, I’m a born Lightning Catcher? You can’t beat ‘em.” Captain Shakespeare nodded.

“We’ve got to try!” Yaz said desperately. “Please!”

The lady and Captain Shakespeare shared a look.

“Can you still shine bright enough to burn through storm clouds, my dear Queen?”

“Where is the other Star? I’ll see what I can do. But all this sounds like the worst idea I’ve ever heard of. And I’ve lived through Tristan kidnapping me to give to his girlfriend.” Queen Yvaine sighed.

“Thanks, your majesty.” Yaz smiled at her. “I really appreciate this.”

“Yeah. We all do.” Ryan nodded.

“This Tristan did what??” Graham asked nobody in particular but the Queen had already swept from the room.

“Now. First things first. If we’re going to go horribly to our deaths, fighting overwhelming odds, I’m not having you look like that.” Captain Shakespeare grasped Graham’s hand and then leant back to appraise him. “Howlingly Old Age Pensioner. Come with me.” He dragged Graham out the room, Yaz and Ryan following in solidarity.

“Ready the ship to make sail into the depths boys!” the Captain bellowed as they made their way up through the ship.

It was a rough and ready ship, until they got to the Captain’s quarters, in which it turned rather quaint and would not have looked out of place in a small cottage inhabited by the kinder type of old lady who possibly had risked owning one cat and had married a retired scallywag. There was a crocheted doily underneath a half empty tankard of ale. Dainty tea cups, on matching saucers, rested on top of a creased and greasy map of the stars, spread on a table that had several sword length gouges on the top and scuff marks all up the legs. Graham admired a beautiful painting of the ship itself, in mid-flight through a storm cloud. A stained globe spun wobblingly on its axis when Ryan pushed it.

“And now!” Captain Shakespeare flung open a set of double doors to reveal a wardrobe to match the Doctor’s. “Let’s go out in style.”


	3. Ramming Always Works

The Doctor strained against the straps, realising that even Houdini might’ve struggled with these ones. She looked up at the high vaulted ceiling of the hall. The three witches had left her on the altar, apparently going off to bathe and perform sacred rites and rituals, probably with anointing and burnings things. Well, it meant the Doctor lived a little bit longer, so she wasn’t about to complain about it. The more life she had, the more she could figure a way out of this, or think of a bargain, or a plan. Apart from the incessant broil of ideas in her mind, the waiting was a bit boring though. It wasn’t a very detailed ceiling.

“Not a patch on the Sistine chapel.” She observed out loud. “Or that ballroom in Beauty and the Beast. There’s not even a chandelier! How’m I meant to escape without a chandelier?!” Frustration settled on her like flies. “Hope Yaz is okay. And the others.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The others, at that moment in time, were hastily dressing themselves in the outfits Captain Shakespeare had chosen for them.

“These breeches are a bit tight.” Graham muttered to himself. “I’m not a young gent anymore.”

“Mate, at least you’re not in a full-on trench coat and heeled boots. I’d break my ankle in these!” Ryan gestured at the fashionable shoes that he was staunchly ignoring in favour of his trainers.

Yaz had disappeared among the racks, ignoring the wide display of evening gowns and corsets, heading straight for what looked like the wardrobe department of a heavy metal band. There was a lot of leather and even the odd cape.

“Wicked.” She nodded in approval, choosing knee-high boots studded with large bits of metal, slipping them over her own jeans. There was a leather jerkin with star shaped charms dangled all over it and she put it on in place of her leather jacket.

“Very biker chic.” Graham gave her a thumbs up.

“Excellent!” Captain Shakespeare agreed, having dressed in a simple off the shoulder gown, torn to the knee to reveal a ferocious set of heeled boots. He strapped a scabbard and belt around his waist, strapped two cylinders of fresh caught lightning to his back and tested the sharpness of his blade.  “Oh! Help yourselves to weapons.” He flung open a hidden compartment to reveal absolutely nothing the Doctor would approve of.

Graham looked between the weapons and the Captain. “You’re clearly a man of many layers.”

“I don’t really know how to use a weapon. Wouldn’t be much use.” Ryan shrugged.

“Prob’ly not best to carry lightning wearing these boots.” Yaz tried to joke.

“Never bring a knife to a witch fight.” Graham said wisely.

Captain Shakespeare spread his arms wide and shrugged. “It’s not like I can bring magic.”

They followed him up on deck, having opted to take the proferred tubes of lightning, marvelling at the black clouds that swirled about the ship, the storm drenching them in seconds. Several men were busy collecting lightning into barrels, from the metal nets spread out from the ship’s aft. On the fore, the First Mate stood, with the two stars either side of him.

“You do realise, m’lady, that if they notices you two, you’ll be in danger.” He shouted over the noise of the storm.

“I have been Queen of Stormhold for a long time. Everyone knows my heart is taken.” Yvaine laughed. “Never fear,” she turned to Celaeno, “if you follow my lead, we should be safe enough.”

“We’re approaching their castle now.” The First Mate informed the Captain.

“Gaze upon it. The sky castle of the Witches Three.” Captain Shakespeare bellowed.

A huge cloud, bigger than any cumulonimbus they had ever seen, loomed towards them.

“It doesn’t look like a castle.” Ryan pointed out.

“Wait for it.”

“We’re gonna get a little wet, lads!”

“I think we’re soaked already.” Yaz pointed out. She shrieked as what felt like a waterfall knocked her to the deck, filling her ears and mouth and eyes. She spluttered and coughed as they passed through and deeper into the clouds.

“That was not nice!” Ryan slipped and scrambled his way upright, shaking himself and blowing water.

“Yeah. Some warning next time?” Graham got up very slowly, massaging his knees. He nearly fell over again as with another flash of light, a man appeared on the deck. “King Tristan I presume? Going by the crown.”

“Tristan!” Yvaine grinned.

“I used the Babylon candle!” he waved another black stub at her.

“Did you really kidnap her?” Graham tapped him on the arm. “Cos I’ve got to say, that’s not a way to get a girl.”

“Well he wasn’t trying to get me.” Yvaine walked down and hugged her husband. “Not at first.”

Tristan gave an awkward grimace. “Is that the Star?” he pointed with his sword at Celaeno.

“Yes. We have half a plan, that could work. If it worked on the Lamia, at least. But I fear we will also rely on the distraction of a worldlier assault.”

“We’ll be ready, my lady.” Captain Shakespeare bowed to her. Tristan noticed his attire for the first time and frowned.

“Isn’t that one of Yvaine’s dresses?”

“I gave it to him.” Yvaine shrugged. “I never particularly liked it.”

Tristan stared for a moment longer, then nodded. “It looks good.”

“Whenever you’re ready? I’m assuming THAT’S the castle of the three witches.” Graham pointed towards the small, rectangular obsidian coloured box, suspended between two rocks floating in mid-air.

“Levitation crystals!” Captain Shakespeare whistled. “What I couldn’t do with those. Alright men! Brace for impact!”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A monotonous hum began on the edge of the Doctor’s hearing. It grew louder, making her teeth ache with the vibration from it. Alba and Petrel strode into the room, taking up positions a little way from the altar, equidistant between it and each other.

“Ooh. Triangle magic. Dangerous. Very tricky to control.” The Doctor told Rán as the last of the Witches Three appeared from behind the altar. She was carrying the twin blade and a small thin dagger, hewn from what appeared to be stone. She let the stone dagger go and it hovered directly above the Doctor’s chest, rotating slowly.

“Levitation stone! Oh. That is amazing. I’ve always said that most magic is just science that isn’t understood but that is beautiful. It relies upon the…”

“Silence! Or I’ll cut out your tongue first.” Rán waved the twin blade at her.

“See! You’re far more sensible. The pirates threatened to cut me ear off. What use is that? You? You go right to the heart of the problem.”

Rán smiled. “Yes. We do.”

“Ah. Yes. Bad choice of words.” The Doctor grimaced. The stone blade started to speed up, looking increasingly like a drill. “S’pose this is a bad time to point out to you that I’m not actually a star?”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They crouched beneath the gunwales, the pirates expertly balanced, with weapons in their hands, Team TARDIS clinging onto the side. The ship was heading directly for the front of the box at a speed Ryan thought would never break through anything.

“This reminds me of the time my mate rammed his car into a police car.” Graham mused to himself.

“He what??” Ryan and Yaz asked simultaneously, distracted from their imminent predicament by this new information.

“Well…” Graham began but the prow of the ship crashed into the large square front of the witch’s castle, breaking through the wall and wedging the first few metres of the ship inside. Captain Shakespeare hastily threw the anchor through the hole to make sure the Caspertine didn’t float back out. The two stars that had been waiting on the fo’c’sle shone with a brilliance that illuminated the large hall into which the ship had crashed. Pirates leapt over the side or swarmed down rope ladders. Petrel was knocked down by them, even as the Doctor shouted at them to stop. Alba staggered, blinded by the stars and Yaz promptly grabbed her around the chest, pulling her arm up behind her back.

Ryan and Graham made a dash for the altar, but Rán had already grabbed the stone dagger and the twin blade was running towards Celaeno.

“Quick!” Yvaine thrust the last portion of her Babylon candle into Celaeno’s hand. “Think of home!”

Tristan fumbled with a match, as Ryan and Graham fumbled with the straps holding the Doctor down. The King dropped the first one but got the second alight and held it to the wick. Rán screamed with rage as Celaeno disappeared before her eyes, staggering as her impetus took her beyond where the star had been standing. Tristan went to stab her with his sword, but she dropped the twin blade and began to call down lightning to strike at him and he threw himself to one side. She redirected the bolt at Yaz who let go of Alba and dropped to the floor, every hair on her body fizzing as the lightning passed over her. Rán ran over and grabbed Yaz as she began to get back up, holding the stone blade, still slowly rotating, to her throat.

“YAZ!!”

Ryan and Graham winced away from the Doctor. They’d never heard her scream like that, and quite frankly never wanted to again. All the pirates froze.  

“Oh!” Rán’s eyes glittered with malevolence as she eyed the Doctor, who was swiftly unbuckling the last of the restraints. “How useless you would’ve been if you were a star.”

“Let her go.” The Doctor’s voice was all the more terrible for its flat calm, as she swung herself off the altar.

“We wouldn’t have been able to use even one of your hearts, would we,” Rán taunted her, pricking Yaz in the neck with the turning point of the blade. “for you have given them both to this girl.”

Alba let loose a sudden lightning bolt at the Doctor, but she didn’t falter, merely leaned to avoid it. The bolt collided with the altar and shattered it, the resulting thunder and blast knocking everyone off their feet. The hall was covered in shards of stone and dust hung in the air. Yaz scrambled up first, grabbing the knife that had fallen from Rán’s grasp as she did so.

The Doctor emerged from the smoke haze and grabbed a sword from a nearby pirate, who was too busy coughing, and wiping at his streaming eyes to stop her. Rán slowly held up her arms, in surrender.

“Doctor! Watch out!” Graham cried as Alba made to grab the Timelord from behind. The Doctor spun in one smooth action, bringing the sword around in a sweeping arc.

“Doctor!” It collided mid-way with the short spinning stone blade brought up to meet it and fractured it, the sword blade trapped in the cleft it had made. The stone blade slowly cracked further and eventually shattered away. Yaz stared in horror at the Doctor, dropping the handle and massaging her hand where the blow had left it numb. “What were you thinkin’?” Yaz whispered.

Tristan and Captain Shakespeare took advantage of the momentary confusion to grab hold of Alba and Rán, restraining them and placing lightning conductors on their heads.

“Try striking us now!” Captain Shakespeare said with satisfaction.

The Doctor slowly lowered the sword, passing it back to its owner, her head hung low, her hair hiding her expression.

“See how the light shining can turn to the dark.” Rán cackled.

“So. What are we gonna do with them Doc?” Graham asked, cautiously approaching the Doctor.

“They are citizens of Faerie. In the kingdom of Stormhold. It is up to the king to mete punishment.” The Doctor shrugged, still not looking up from the floor.

“The punishment for capturing a star is death. Clean death compared to what they would do to a star.” Captain Shakespeare said solemnly.

Yaz felt sick at the prospect of an execution.

“Isn’t there anything else you can do?” she asked desperately.

“Hard to keep a witch imprisoned.” Yvaine shrugged. “I’ve lost too many sisters to such people, nearly been lost myself, to have much sympathy.”

“But you’re not witches! Not really. You’re just good at throwing lightning about and got hold of a couple of levitation stones.” The Doctor’s head came up. “You’re the children of Mother Carey. Her chickens! The storm crows. You…this is Faerie, so you can exist in these forms. In reality, you’re not real. You’re stories. You’re birds. Albatrosses.” She turned her gaze to the body on the floor. “Petrels. Heralds of luck and storms on the open seas.” She made her way over to Petrel, checking her over.

Tristan caught on. “In Faerie, stars can exist, and take human form.”

“But if you took me across the wall, I’d become nothing more than a ball of gas, or a meteorite or whatever I was taken for, a star or a falling star.” Yvaine explained to Team TARDIS who were looking very lost.

“So, if we take them across the wall…”

“Captain Shakespeare! Will you and your men take Yvaine home?” Tristan asked.

“Ugh. You always go to England without me.” Captain Shakespeare sighed.

“I would sooner die than be trapped in yet another realm!” Rán spat, wresting herself from his hold whilst he was distracted with the thought of England. She raised her hand in the air.

“No!” The Doctor cried out but there was nothing she could do to prevent the strike of lightning, sizzling down directly onto the conductor on Rán’s head.

“Sister!”

The bolt crackled long after lightning should have dissipated and when the blinding effects had eased, and the burning images had faded from the eyes, everyone looked and found only a small pile of ash, and a metal rod attached to a ring of metal. The Doctor moved away from Petrel and sonicked it. “Sorry. Really dead. Not just residue from a teleport.” She told Alba sadly. “But the good news is, your other sister is alive. Just momentarily stunned.”  

Captain Shakespeare went to pick up the lightning conductor.

“Uh! Mate!” Ryan stopped him. “Better not.”

“I’ll get another one from the ship before we go.” He patted Ryan on the back. “That and a couple of rings from a lightning barrel should be enough to contain them.”

“Right! Time to find the control room.” The Doctor pocketed her sonic and looked around the vast hall for the exit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I invoke the trope of Ramming Always Works mostly because in the movie, The Caspertine manages to survive its nose thwacking into the ocean from height and doesn't break up or require repairs so clearly it's one tough old bird. Also it's the realm of Faerie so anything is possible, even that a ship might survive a mid-air collision without instantly falling apart or exploding. Witchcraft.


End file.
